Yankees starter Michael Pineda: Ready to dominate?

TAMPA - Any other year, Michael Pineda's six strikeouts Saturday would have been perhaps the biggest non-A-Rod story of spring training. He was hit hard early, adjust quickly and looked sharp the rest of the way. He got swings and misses with his changeup, threw strikes with his fastball and delivered yet another terrific start.

Any other year, it would have been a huge deal.

This spring, thought, the image of a smiling, dominant, healthy Pineda is beginning to feel commonplace.

"I'm happy because today is good outing," Pineda said. "I'm feeling good. This is very important for me. I'm feeling great. And I stay in the game. ... I feel very strong today. I'm happy with that because we won."

After three years of struggling, rehabbing and working his way back, it seems Pineda has finally arrived, perhaps even better than the Yankees expected back in 2012. His changeup has become a legitimate weapon, and he still pounds the strike zone. It's hard not to wonder what might have been had he been this way since that first spring when he first injured his shoulder.

"I'm more concerned about this year, what it could mean for us this year," manager Joe Girardi said. "There's not much we can do about the past. But I really believe if he stays healthy and gives us 30 (to) 32 starts, he could have a pretty good year."

Given Masahiro Tanaka's elbow, CC Sabathia's knee and Nathan Eovaldi's transition, one could make the case that Pineda is the most reliable weapon in the Yankees rotation, and right now he's pitching like a guy who's capable of bringing both reliability and dominance. What we saw today was nothing new, and that's the good thing.

"I'm very, very happy in the spring, especially today," Pineda said. "You know, I throw two innings, three innings and I feel very strong. I like it."

Asked why Tanaka is getting an extra day of rest leading into this upcoming start, Girardi said it was all about lining up the rotation, but he wouldn't give specifics. "We're trying to line people up, but I can't give you an Opening Day starter because it kind of depends on where we feel they're at," Girardi said.

Jennings writes for the (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal-News

GALLERY: Spring training scenes